TNT Sets Cast for ‘Snowpiercer’ and ‘Deadlier Than Male’

Two big thrillers are coming to TNT

TNT has two brand-new series in works, a new thriller currently going by the name “Deadlier Than Male,” and a sci-fi thriller named “Snowpiercer”. The thriller-genre has been a big boon for TNT, the network’s recently released series “The Alienist” (starring Daniel Brühl, Dakota Fanning, and Luke Evans) is currently crushing key-demos in its first season.

This week, TNT announced this week that it has given a series greenlight to Deadlier Than the Male (working title), calling it an “intense, morally complex thriller about three damaged people trying to start over”. Lily Rabe (American Horror Story), Enrique Murciano (Without A Trace), Hamish Linklater (Fantastic Four), Chiara Aurelia (Pretty Little Liars) and Amy Brenneman (The Leftovers) star in the suspense drama. The series is being produced by Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories and Turner’s Studio T, and executive-produced by Bruna Papandrea (Big Little Lies); Harriet Warner (Call the Midwife, Mistresses), who wrote the script; and Casey Haver of Made Up Stories. Houda Benyamina (Divines) directed the pilot. The series will begin production this summer in New Orleans.

Deadlier Than the Male centers on a trio of characters each with a mysterious and troubling past, including Emma (Rabe), a young woman who once looked into the eyes of a dangerous killer, John (Linklater), a former serial predator desperate to find redemption and Mary (Brenneman), a grieving mother obsessed with finding her missing daughter. As each of them is pushed to the edge, the truth about their pasts and motives grows ever murkier, blurring the lines between victim and perpetrator.

“Deadlier Than the Male is the holy grail of complicated female characters with a thrilling, layered storyline that will excite and shock audiences.” said Sarah Aubrey, executive vice president of original programming for TNT. “Harriet Warner, Bruna Papandrea, Houda Benyamina, Lily Rabe and Amy Brenneman are truly a dream team who have brought their brilliant creativity and talent to this mystery series.”

“I couldn’t be more thrilled for Made Up Stories first tv series to have such incredible women behind and in front of the camera.” said Bruna Papandrea. “Harriet Warner is a sublime talent. Houda Benyamina is a filmmaking force to be reckoned with and it has already been an amazing experience collaborating with this great cast and the incredible team at TNT.”

“I’m a personal fan of Bong Joon Ho’s epic film, and jumped at the chance to honor his original vision, yet expand upon the world and characters with a diverse, award-winning cast,” said Sarah Aubrey, executive vice president of original programming for TNT. “Science fiction is the perfect genre to examine issues of race, class, gender and natural resources with thought-provoking and exciting storytelling. Snowpiercer will explore those relevant issues while embarking on a wild, action-filled ride.”

Marty Adelstein, CEO of Tomorrow Studios, added, “Given the exceptional global appeal of the original film, we have a tremendous obligation to ensure the TV adaptation is exceptional in scope and magnitude. We have found that with TNT and with our talented cast. Now we are excited to work together in creating a world unlike any other on television.”

Set seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, Snowpiercer centers on the remnants of humanity, who inhabit a gigantic, perpetually-moving train that circles the globe. Class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival are questioned in this riveting television adaptation.

Snowpiercer is a co-production of Tomorrow Studios and Turner’s Studio T, along with CJ Entertainment. The pilot was directed by Scott Derrickson and was written by Josh Friedman (Avatar 4, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). The series is executive produced by Tomorrow Studios’ Marty Adelstein (Aquarius, Prison Break, Teen Wolf) and Becky Clements (Good Behavior, Aquarius, Last Man Standing); and the original film’s Bong Joon Ho, Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun and Dooho Choi.